


Deep Blue

by yoonyuten (sunflowerhsh)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Implied dojae, M/M, Summer Vacation, Utila, fun in the sun, johnny best boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25906171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowerhsh/pseuds/yoonyuten
Summary: "C'mon Ten, I'll catch you," Yuta insists.It’s a tempting offer. He should stop worrying too much and just have fun, he's miles away from home, he should loosen up a bit. He makes up his mind quickly."Ok, I'll jump! But if you don't catch me, I promise you’ll be dead meat," he threatens Yuta.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 3
Kudos: 50
Collections: the eyes are the window to the soul





	Deep Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello I'm back with this short fic, The setting is my favorite place on earth so I hope you like it. Once again I owe my life to the one and only [queen of my heart](https://twitter.com/toorublemaker) for helping me again. I love u.

He _really_ should've said no when Johnny came to him with this proposal; they rarely get time off, even more strange to have so many days at a time, it was the best opportunity to go back home and spend some quality time with his family. But it was just so tempting, a vacation to the Caribbean didn't sound too bad. That was, until he found out that they weren't the only ones going. Now, don't get him wrong, he loves the boys a lot, but Ten wanted to spend some one-on-one time with his friend. Johnny must have had this planned for a while, what with almost all of the older NCT members attending. Even Kun and Sicheng were joining the party; Ten really had no idea about the rest joining until Kun brought the topic at dinner one night, saying he needed to go on a shopping spree to buy sunscreen. With packed bags, he stands beside Johnny who is strangely wearing a shit-eating grin, apparently in a good mood today. Too chipper for someone who’s about to take a 16-hour flight, if you ask him.

They land safely, after the long flight, and vote to have dinner and stay at a hotel to rest for a moment. Ten likes this, small countries where they can be careless, no cameras or people who recognize you on the streets, where you're just another tourist.

They have dinner at the hotel restaurant. He sits next to Taeil this time, eager to use this time to catch up with the rest of his friends. He may actually have to thank Johnny for this, dammit. They order some local food from the menu and talk about the old times, it's quite nostalgic but he’s content. The food is delicious, he really is in love with this type of dinner; beans, scrambled eggs served with plantains and tortillas.

The next day, Ten wakes up a few minutes after 7am so he could get ready without rushing and sort his luggage because according to Johnny, they all need to meet him downstairs for breakfast at 8 o’clock, absolutely no excuses allowed. Taking into consideration the fact that the ferry they need to fetch to reach the island sails at 9am. He actually did some research about this place, it turns out, this island is famous for the beautiful diving spots and white beaches, it's often called the pearl in the Caribbean by the locals and is very well known for its night life. Apparently Utila is real piece of paradise, he can't wait to get there.

The trip by the Utila Dream Ship is only 30 minutes long, the guys choose to sit down at the deck of the ship, the benches there allows you to enjoy the breeze and watch the ocean, which also means that you get wet. It doesn't matter, it's fun when Yuta and Jaehyun scream because they got splashed or when Taeyong swears that he saw dolphins at a side. He records a video, not wanting to miss any of this, he smiles to himself and looks to the side, where Kun is looking at him with a fond expression. They deserve this.

The ferry's dock is located at the center of the island. Since the moment they step out from the ship, everything is a splash of colors. The turquoise blue from the ocean, the yellows and greens from their surroundings. The town is small, the streets are narrow, not a single car in sight, only different type of bikes circling around. The buildings are all made of wood, most of them painted with bright colors.

The 8 of them stand in front of the Utila Dream office, while Johnny talks with the tour guide he hired for this trip. His name is Steve, a lanky man in his twenties, tanned skin and dressed up in shorts and a tank top, just like the rest of the people that passed by. He takes them to the Airbnb they rented, it's a short walk from where they are so they use this opportunity to know the town a little bit better. They pass many restaurants, convenience stores and coffee shops, the town may be small but it's filled with many things to do and places to eat. The buildings and the street come to an end and they are faced with the public beach, Chepe's beach. The sand is as white as pearls and the water is turquoise. The sea is peaceful – he can hear the faint sound of the waves crashing against the shore, smell the salt in the breeze – as expected from a bay and there are wooden round tables placed in the sea, with palm leaves roof, where you can have a drink or even sit while enjoying your time at the beach. There are many benches surrounding the area, it seems like a lovely place to hang out. They keep walking through the sand path, reaching a few beach houses, until they find the house they'll be staying at.

The round house, that's how Steve told them this house is called. It's a big wooden house that looks like a fancy bungalow, round shaped, with two docks, one facing the ocean and the other one, the back side of the house that’s facing a lagoon. The inside is cozy, high ceiling shaped like a dome, roof fans, wooden furniture and white couches. The kitchen is filled with groceries and the place has 4 bathrooms and bedrooms as well.

Steve bids them goodbye, leaving them to relax today, the itinerary starting until tomorrow morning. That leaves them alone to choose the rooms arrangements. They all sit down at the living room, some on the couches and the rest on the wooden floor. Jaehyun and Doyoung insist on taking the same bedroom since they're a couple already, the rest quickly agree. There are 3 rooms with a king bed and the other room has a double and a single bed. They decide the arrangements of the rest of the rooms by an aggressive round of rock paper scissors. When Taeyong wins the first round, he starts dancing around moving his arms clumsily celebrating that gets to choose who he wants to sleep with, all while Jaehyun records him and threatens to upload this video on Instagram.

"I choose Kun, I really want to sleep with someone who is not a nuisance," he says out loud while he hugs Kun.

The battle continues, when Johnny wins, he starts jumping around and screaming. "I want a bed for myself so I'll take the room with two beds," he says with an evil grin. "Taeil and Sicheng, please be my guests."

Now this is what Ten calls a conspiration. He got magically paired up with Yuta. Not that he has a problem with him! Lately he has been talking with him more, discovering a lot of the common interests they shared, they enjoy similar things and also, it's getting very hard to hide the feelings he has for Yuta, but he thinks that’s neither here or there.

For a while it was okay, because they were both busy, even on different groups, so it was easier for Ten just to disconnect himself from it. But lately, they have been picking up from where they left off many years ago. Yuta is such a fun person to be with, Ten always feels the most comfortable when he's with Yuta, just being by his side makes him feel safe. Johnny definitely planned this beforehand, that tall idiot, always looking out for him.

"That leaves Yuta and Ten together," Doyoung smiles.

"It's all settled then," Yuta speaks for the first time. He's smiling softly.

"You got the best roommate," Ten tells him.

"I don't doubt it Tennie," Yuta says.

They leave their bags in the bedroom and head outside back to the beach. Yuta doesn't even wait up for the rest of the boys, he starts running to the dock and at the end of it he just jumps to the water. That looks refreshing, Ten thinks as he steps to the dock and looks at Yuta happily swimming.

"Ten! You should jump too! It's fun," Yuta says as he signals Ten to join him.

Ten just shakes his head, Yuta is insane there is no way he's gonna jump, the water looks too blue which means it's probably deep. He hears commotion from the beach, the rest of the guys are out, running to the water.

"C'mon Ten, I'll catch you," Yuta insists.

It’s a tempting offer. He should stop worrying too much and just have fun, he's miles away from home, he should loosen up a bit. He makes up his mind quickly.

"Ok, I'll jump! But if you don't catch me, I promise you’ll be dead meat," he threatens Yuta.

Yuta smiles widely and does an okay sign with his hand then he starts swimming back to the area near the end of the dock. Ten walks to the edge of the dock, takes off his sandals and sunglasses and gets ready to jump. He can do this. He takes a few steps back and starts running so he can do a better jump and when he does, a rush of adrenaline fills his body. The splash didn't hurt, the water is warm and there are strong arms holding his torso. He swims up and sees Yuta by his side. He caught him as promised. This is fun. He could definitely get used to this.

"That was great, Tennie. We should jump together next time."

Ten laughs. "Don't push your luck, Nakamoto," he says and splashes water at Yuta's direction.

They join the rest of the group at a safer depth, where the water only reaches up to their waist. Johnny insists on playing some beach volleyball so they do just that and then they do swimming races.

It's all fun ang laughs until hunger starts to haunt their stomachs. It's past noon, they really should get something to eat. Sicheng suggests them to have dinner at the town, he said he saw some interesting restaurants on their way here. They go back to the house and get changed. With a dry pair of shorts, his sunglasses perched up on his nose, his camera and his favorite sandals, Ten is ready to head out.

They settle for a homey restaurant, the tables are outdoors and it has an excellent view to the sea. Their waitress is an old black lady who treats them so nicely. They let her pick their lunch, made with local seafood and other Honduran food to taste. While they wait for the food, they take pictures of the surroundings and the sea. It's a beautiful view of the most breathtaking teal blue. He is busy taking pictures of simple details around when he spots Yuta petting a kitten. He tied up his hair on a messy ponytail at one point and frankly he looks adorable. He sneakily snaps a shot, and smiles. Yuta has a dog but he seems more like a cat person like himself.

When the food arrives it looks delicious, the lady served them different dishes so they could try a little bit of everything. Islanders truly have their way to eat seafood, it's mostly fish and shrimps but it is so different from the way it’s prepared in Asia. The fish looks like its breaded, fried to the point where even the fins are crunchy, one would think it doesn’t taste good but on the contrary, it’s tasty. Half of the shrimps are also breaded but the rest are stir fried and covered with a cream that tastes strongly like garlic and coconut. These people really seem to love plantains because most of their dishes have them as side dishes, as well as rice & beans prepared with coconut milk. They eat happily without talking too much, besides complimenting the cook, who after much pestering from Johnny finally agreed for them to call her grandma.

After the main dishes, they finish their feast some local dessert called arroz con leche. Apparently it’s made with rice, milk and cinnamon, which seem not many ingredients for something that tastes as good and as comforting as this does. Grandma served it cold and on a plastic cup, so they could take it with them and continue their journey. They split up after lunch, some of them wanting to go back to the house and take a nap or go for a swim, Johnny and Taeil want to rent an ATV and Ten just really wants to go for a walk, he wouldn’t mind some company. He observes how Yuta doesn't seem to pair up with the rest so he just needs to ask him to go with him. He wouldn't say no, _right?_

"Yuta, wanna go for a walk?"

"Of course, I want to explore this town, it's better if we go together don't you think?"

"I guess you're right." Ten smiles at him. 

So after they all decide what to do, they leave the restaurant after saying goodbye to grandma. The main street looks like a straight line with few intersections. As they walk by, Ten takes pictures of the scenery, and he listens to Yuta humming some songs. It's nice. They spot some colorful stairs, Ten tells Yuta to pose so he can take a cool picture of him. They climb up the stairs and end up on a different street that goes down both ways so they just keep going in the same direction. The street takes them to a fancy hotel that is surrounded by a lot of greenery, a small pathway leads to a restaurant and a big pool. Perfect for dinner.

They keep walking until they cross a bridge, and the view knocks the breath out of his lungs, they can see where the river ends and connects directly to the ocean.

"This is beautiful and so refreshing, I can't remember the last time I went out and didn’t have to care about my public image," Yuta says. His eyes are focused on the ocean, blue, vast and captivating. He thinks he can empathize with sailors setting off to the wide sea.

"It's nice to enjoy time together without a camera shoved down our throats all the time to be honest and I missed hanging out with you," Ten confesses.

"We've been so busy we rarely talk and see each other, it sucks," Yuta says as he put his hands inside his pockets. "After this, we should keep in touch, I love having you around."

Ten is taken aback sometimes with Yuta's sincerity, he never keeps things to himself, he makes sure to tells you everything that is on his mind. Yuta's heart is big and warm, he’s lucky to be by his side, regardless of if it's as a friend or something more.

The street ends abruptly and they're welcomed by a sandy trail and a wooden sign that states they’re in Bando Beach. The trail guides them to a private beach, with lots of palm trees and tables, and a big bar near the beach. Ten makes a mental note to tell the guys that they should come back here together, to have some shots and a swim.

Yuta suddenly takes his hand and walks to the bar. "Let's have a drink and then head back."

Ten nods. He could really use a cocktail right now. They sit down on some stools by the bar, a young woman hands them the menus that are both in English and Spanish. Yuta orders a frozen strawberry margarita for himself and Ten decides to try one as well.

The drink is sweet, Ten can feel small chunks of strawberry when he sips, the alcohol is almost undetectable, he really should’ve asked for a double shot. The mood at the bar is chill, everyone minding their own business, but he can see people getting together for karaoke. There's an indie band playing for the rest of the guests, the songs are in spanish but it's pretty good. The music is produced by big drums, other percussion instruments Ten cannot recognize and a trumpet, indeed the best for the beach. They lose track of time, end up ordering 2 margaritas more, vibing to the music and talking about music, their new interests and life in general. It's just so easy to have a conversation with Yuta, he feels like he can talk about everything without holding back.

As the sun starts setting, they head up to the dock that's near the bar to take some pictures of the sunset. Sunsets by the beach are so different from the ones back at the city. The tones of orange and yellow from the sky blends with the ocean as a whole entity; the reflection makes the water look golden, the sun rays also hit Yuta's face, highlighting his high cheekbones and cupid bow. Ten is a little too enamored, can't help but take some pictures when Yuta is not looking at him, and excuse himself as if he's taking pictures of the sunset itself when Yuta gives him a curious look.

"The sunset is my favorite part of the day," he hears Yuta say. Ten puts down his camera, looking his way, to find that Yuta is already looking at his direction.

"It's when the sky is more colorful, I love when it's blue but when the sunset is happening it turns orange, yellow, and even pink."

"I agree, sunsets are just magical," Ten adds. "I'll send you the photos I took."

Yuta nods. He walks back to where Ten is and puts his hand over Ten's shoulder. "Let's go back, it's getting late."

As they are walking back to the house, Ten gets a call from Johnny.

"Ten, we're heading out for dinner, Doyoung found an Italian restaurant near the public beach. I'll text you the name," he says through the speaker.

"Okay, we'll be there soon," Ten says and he ends the call.

"How did Doyoung managed to find an Italian restaurant here?" Yuta mutters.

"I'm not even surprised."

The restaurant is located in front of a pink hotel. It's a house made of wood, like most of the restaurants in the area and the outside area looks like a small garden with plants and some bushes. The inside is cozy, the chairs are made of red leather and the lights are yellow; there's also an illuminated trail to a dock at the back of the restaurant.

The menu is mostly seafood pasta as he expected it to be, every plate sounds appetizing. They end up ordering almost all of the plates offered on the menu. It's a chilly night, the breeze is cool but not uncomfortable, more like the perfect weather for the night. There's a box of table games near the counter, he wouldn't have noticed it if Johnny didn't point it out. He fetches an Uno from the box and just like that they start playing. It gets a little intense when they make a big chain of +2 cards (there are no friends when you play UNO only enemies) and it lands on Jaehyun, the poor soul ends up picking 10 cards. Thankfully their food is ready before all hell breaks loose, so they can forget about the game and focus on eating. Doyoung pats Jaehyun's back trying to comfort him while he shoves spaghetti into his mouth with a sour expression.

They head back to the house, to get a good rest this night for their bodies to be in the best shape for tomorrow's tour. Turns out Johnny and Taeil really rented some ATV's or at least that’s the conclusion he reaches when he sees two of them parked by the entrance of the round house.

"I'll take our bathroom first," he informs Yuta once they’re in their room. He needs to shower fast, all the walking and eating started to take a toll on him. He's sleepy. When he gets out of the bathroom, he finds Yuta sitting on the floor, reading a book.

"You can use the bathroom now."

Yuta looks up, mumbles a thank you as he puts his book on the nightstand. Then he heads to the bathroom.

Ten is already curled up on the bed when Yuta opens the bathroom door, his hair is still wet and he's only wearing a pair of black shorts. _Where is his damn shirt?_ Is he going to sleep without a shirt on? Does he usually sleep without one or is this all a plot to torture him? Jesus, he almost forgot Yuta has a navel piercing, but there it is, shining brightly under the lights of the room.

His eyes follow Yuta until he climbs up the enormous bed, there's plenty of space between them and they can move around without clashing.

"I know you like to cuddle," Yuta says so quietly that if Ten wasn't paying attention he would've missed it.

He heard it, loud and clear. It makes his heart ache how Yuta remembers all these details about him, they haven't shared a room since they were rookies and now here they are, many years later, as if nothing between them had changed.

Ten nods. "And you love to be the little spoon," he mumbles.

Yuta giggles. Ten starts moving to the middle of the bed, only to find Yuta mid-way. They fall asleep just like that, hugging each other.

Morning welcomes Ten with a brightness that covers all of the room's corners with a yellowish glow. Yuta is still sleeping soundly by his side, he looks so peaceful like this, they’re close enough that Ten can feel his breath ghosting against his body. This view takes him back to the old days, where they used to wake up on a single bunk bed with limbs interwined. That was the only way Ten could fall asleep, being far away from home and living alone was very difficult, there was Yuta, oh sweet Yuta with sparkly eyes and pretty smile who was also struggling like him; that’s mainly how they got close, seeking solace on each other at first, and later on, with Ten falling irrevocably for this man with a pure heart and hardworking as no one would ever be. But they were so young, with the company that promised them the stars and the moon after debut, they didn’t even have the opportunity to try and fall in love innocently, to hold hands and share sweet kisses here and there. Their relationship was fed by lingering stares, warm hugs, and cuddles at night; someone who was there when the day went wrong, a shoulder to cry on, a company for the difficult days where he felt homesick. Ten debuted first, got too busy, he still made an effort to stay in touch with Yuta. Not too much time later, they got separated into different groups, schedules got heavier, times got harder and they kind of just drifted apart, Yuta unknowingly taking Ten’s heart with him. Absorbed in his thoughts, he almost doesn’t realize Yuta stirring up, he opens his eyes and hugs Ten closer while letting out a sigh.

"Had a good sleep?" Ten teases him and pokes his belly on the side.

"The best in years," Yuta slurs, still half asleep.

"We should be getting ready to go," Ten says reluctantly. He doesn't want to leave Yuta's side truly.

"Mmm, okay," Yuta replies and then rolls to the other side of the bed and gets up slowly.

His hair is all over the place, strands all poking to different directions. Ten starts laughing, he looks so funny like that. Messy hair, droopy eyes from sleep and pouty lips. "You should use the bathroom first, you look like a walking disaster."

Yuta nods and walks sluggishly to the bathroom. Ten steps out from the bed and goes to the kitchen to find Taeyong and Kun already gathered there making what looks like pancakes.

"Good morning, guys," Ten says.

"Good morning!" Both of them reply at the same time.

"Can you wake up the rest of the boys? Breakfast is almost ready," Taeyong adds.

"Sure."

After breakfast, a loud honk is heard from outside, followed closely by someone knocking the door. Johnny gets up to open it, Steve salutes them with a bright smile. They gather their things to head out, Taeil offers Steve some pancakes and they finish getting ready while he eats. There's a golf car parked outside beside the ATV's. He guesses that’s where some of them will be traveling.

First stop is Pumpkin beach, at the other side of the island. This beach is full of giant volcanic rocks, the water is a deeper shade of blue, Prussian blue if you ask Ten, by this side and the sand shines brightly due to the sun's reflection. Steve takes them to see some aquatic caves that connect to the Pumpkin beach. It’s a place is full of wonders.

Ten can see Yuta is having a good time, he knows Yuta loves trips like this, where they get to walk big distances and hike some mountains. His hair kissed by the wind, his bright smile and positive energy makes the walks even better for Ten. At the last mountain they step up, they can see all the island territory, it's astounding. He hears a collective gasp from the rest of the guys. He can't step down this place without some pictures that are at least half as good as the view, he asks Steve to take some shots of them in this little piece of land that’s straight out of paradise.

Second stop is the Iguana station, a conservation and breeding site for the little swamper iguana, an endangered species that only lives on this island. They learn a lot of information about this organization, activities they do and how they take care of the iguanas. They get to see a lot of them as well, some of the ones they keep for research purposes, the staff goes as far as to let them to feed them. It's a good experience.

Third stop is, lunch. Steve takes them back to Blue Bayou, Ten learns that's actually the name of the place where the round house is located. The restaurant they are heading to can only be reached by boat, but it offers trips every half hour. The journey takes them through the lagoon and between the mangroves. Their vision is mostly green from all the plants around and the water is clear enough to actually see the fish swimming around.

They reach their restaurant, Neptune’s. It has a big dock, a private beach and a volleyball court. Hammocks are hung on the palm trees near the beach as well as beach chairs scattered across the sand. Looks like an absolutely lovely location to spend their afternoon. They enter the restaurant and look for a table, those are large and made out of a dark wood with little stools to sit on. They order their most popular dishes, which are actually plates like hamburgers, chicken wings, fries and some cocktails because they’re here to have fun right? 

After eating, there's so much to do. He spots Taeil, Sicheng, Johnny and Kun at the volleyball court getting ready for a match. Taeyong settled down on a hammock, maybe he's gonna take a nap; Doyoung and Jaehyun rented some snorkeling equipment and are already heading to the dock.

He can see Yuta at the end of it, getting ready to jump. Ten settles on a hammock, he can see Yuta clearly from where he is. Maybe he should join him on a swim, but the hammock rocks him back and forth while the sea breeze caresses him. Okay, maybe after a nap…

Ten wakes up abruptly after feeling water droplets on his face. He opens his eyes and sees Yuta's face very close to his, with hair dripping wet and an ominous wide smile, this is not a good signal. Yuta's evil grin goes wider as he carries Ten to the dock. Dammit, he’s screwed.

"Nakamoto Yuta, put me down right now!!!" He orders while trying to escape from his arms.

"Not a chance Tennie, we didn't come all the way here for you to sleep," Yuta says nonchalantly.

"Then you should be waking up Taeyong as well, this isn’t fair," Ten reasons.

"Ah, Taeyong… Worry not, Johnny did the same to him like 5 minutes ago. Look at them," he says nudging his head to the side clearly trying to tell Ten to look at that direction.

He sees Taeyong swimming with Johnny and the rest of the boys that were playing volleyball before his nap.

"Put me down hm, please. I'll join you guys for a swim," Ten begs.

"No, that's not funny," he says as they reach the end of the dock. "Bye bye Tennie!" he tosses Ten to the sea.

Ten doesn't even register what just happened when he’s surrounded by warm water, he swims to the surface and then he feels arms holding him tight.

"Did you think I was going to leave you alone?" Yuta tells him.

Of course not. Ten was hoping Yuta jumped after him. He just splashes water to Yuta's face and huffs. "You're mean."

It's late when they get back to the round house, Steve tells them they're going on a snorkeling tour tomorrow and leaves them for the night. Johnny wants to go clubbing and honestly, it doesn't sound like a bad idea, they're here to have fun. For dinner, they eat the ramyeon Jaehyun brought in case they got too lazy to go out and then retire back to their rooms so they could get ready to party.

Ten only fills in his eyebrows, styles up his hair and picks a simple outfit, a black shirt and jeans. Yuta goes for a similar look, a graphic patterned button up and jeans. His hair is down and straightened, but what surprises Ten are his eyes, he's wearing bold blue eyeliner and a pearly shimmer on his lids. He didn't know Yuta was interested in makeup, he looks stunning. Yuta, on the other side, looks at him disapprovingly.

"You can't go out like that."

"How?" Ten asks confused.

"Come here, let me do your makeup," he demands.

Ten just sits on the bed without saying a word and closes his eyes. He trusts Yuta so everything should be fine, right?

"I'll just do your eyes, we don't need base makeup since our skin looks healthy with the tan," he murmurs.

Ten can feel something wet on his eyes, like a small brush and then he feels Yuta's breath very close to him. He really hopes Yuta is too focused doing his eyeshadow to notice Ten's erratic heartbeat.

When he's done, Yuta hums in approval and hands Ten a mirror. He takes it and finally takes a look at himself, Yuta did silver glitter eyeliner on him, the glitter is a little bit chunky but it looks great, and his bottom waterline has black eyeliner that makes his eyes look more sultry.

"Your eyes resemble a cat’s right now."

"Thank you," Ten says in a low voice.

With that they're finally ready to go, the rest of the guys are in the living room already, wearing similar attires, and Taeyong went all out with a graphic matte pink eyeliner.

"We're club hopping tonight!" Johnny yells.

"Let's get it!" Taeil follows.

The drinking starts at Tranquila bar, located beside a diving club, Ten guesses most of the people who come here are probably from the club, since they were all wearing similar t-shirts. Nevertheless, he can also distinguish some locals having fun. It's a bungalow type of bar, with colorful fabrics hung on the ceiling and strobe lights shining all over the place. The bartender serves them a round of tequila shots and encourages them to get loose with some dancing.

Ten doesn't even want to know how many tequila shots he took but the next thing he registers is Johnny saying they're off to the next bat. Vinyl, gives a similar vibe to the last bar. The music is louder but the place is less packed. Another round of shots is served and they mingle around, at some point he finds himself dancing with Kun then with Sicheng and ends up by the bar with Johnny laughing while they take another round of shots.

The last bar they visit is hosting a shot challenge, he doesn't even need to guess who of his friends is participating. He just laughs at Doyoung, Jaehyun and Yuta already lined up to start the challenge to win a t-shirt. The shots are made of guifitty, a local drink made with rum and infused with 24 types of herbs. Ten doesn't count the number of shots they take but he does records them doing the silly penalties that the contest entitles. Doyoung ends up winning the shirt, at this point he’s slurring all of his words while he mocks Jaehyun and Yuta, who are valiantly trying to hold their laughter to no avail.

Shortly after, Yuta pouts at Ten, defeated. His cheeks are red and his eyes are unfocused, makeup already ruined. _He looks cute like this_.

"I'll beat you up next time Kim Donyoung!" He slurs.

"I wanna see you try, Nakamoto!" is Doyoung’s petty reply.

"Tennie?" He slurs.

"Tell me."

"You're pretty," he says this close to his ear. Yuta is definitely too drunk. He's already speaking nonsense.

"Yuta, let's go back home," he insists.

"Guys, I think Ten is right, we should head back," Johnny says, while he piggybacks a drunk Taeil.

"Show us the way captain," Sicheng says from behind.

Snorkeling is always an interesting activity to do, but snorkeling with your friends? It's 100 times funnier. They meet their guide at the Parrot's Dive Center, a tall man on his twenties named Carlos. He promises to take them to the best spots in the island and if they're lucky enough they'll be able to see a whale shark, famous around the area.

They end up going to five different sites, coral reefs here are absolutely insane, the marine life is so rich and well taken care of. Ten doesn't remember the last time he saw such a striking ecosystem. It's also cute when Taeyong and Yuta get excited every time they see a colorful fish. They split up and swim in different directions to explore more territory.

"Guys! Come here!" Sicheng speaks loudly.

They all swim his way and put the googles on. At a distance, if Ten is not mistaken, he sees a whale shark. He almost can't believe his eyes, they got lucky this time. This creature is majestic, big gray blue body with white dots all over makes this animal so peculiar.

Eventually they swim back to the boat, all of them with a smile plastered on their faces. He locks eyes with Yuta, whose smile is the brightest of them all. Ten smiles back and signals him to sit beside him on the trip back to the town.

It’s past noon when they get back to land. With growling stomachs and tanned backs, they walk through the main street trying to decide where to have lunch. At the end they settle for a pizza place, and by that Ten means that Doyoung lost to Johnny on a round of rock paper scissors so he got to choose the restaurant. Democracy at work if you ask him. The place offers thin crust pizza made on traditional ovens; these ovens are gigantic, with a round shape and a hole in the middle where you can see clearly the orange blaze. They order pepperoni pizza and the special pizza that includes shrimps. It's very tasty, with the tomato sauce made from scatch, and the cheese so chewy it’s fun to watch the rest of the guys eat to their heart's content

They have a free afternoon that Sicheng and Kun use to head to the public beach, Doyoung and Jaehyun disappear so quietly that no one knows where they went. Taeyong and Taeil go back to the round house with Johnny to fetch the ATVs and go for a stroll. That leaves Ten with Yuta _again_ , not that he's complaining! If anything, he's glad it's him.

Another walk sounds great, they still have some streets to walk by and hopefully many places to visit. On their quest, they stumble into a peculiar building. It looks like a restaurant, but when they step inside they’re welcomed by a place that looks like wonderland. An eclectic theme park that Ten can only describe as magical where every surface from the walls, stairs, tables even sculptures are all decorated with pieces of glass, ceramic, old disks, bottles and other recycled materials put together in an intricate way, as if it was mosaic art on its purest form.

"How is this place even real?" Yuta breathes.

Ten takes Yuta's hand in his and makes it his mission to explore every single corner of this place. As they walk by, they are welcome by more asymmetric surfaces and bright colors, at a side there are some cabins, shaped like big mushrooms and painted with purple, pink, blue and green, an arc shaped like a caterpillar catches Yuta's attention, as he stops abruptly. It's all so surreal, this whole trip feels surreal. They keep walking until they reach a small cave, the inside carved with ceramics that form a pattern Ten cannot fully understand. Yuta has been awfully quiet the whole time, except for the little gasps and _ohs_ and _ahs_ he lets out when there's something he likes.

"What are you thinking about?" Ten says as he glances quickly.

Yuta looks at him, and Ten cannot understand the expression he's making, but Yuta is looking at him so intensely he’s sure that he already saw through him, because Yuta gets closer, so close there's not a tangible distance between them.

"I've been thinking about this," Yuta says in a low voice, trapping Ten against the wall, putting his hands on each side.

Ten gulps.

"Will you let me kiss you, Ten."

He nods. "Please."

Yuta closes the distance and kisses Ten's lips.

Blue, his love is deep blue. Like the blue from the ocean, beautiful, vast and unknown. It all came down like crashing waves, painful, strong, but it just feels just right as if it was bound to happen.

The kiss is sweet, just like everything Ten has ever compared Yuta to. Just like how he expected Yuta to feel and taste; but somehow the reality is way better, the world just shoots down and all he can hear are the waves and all he can feel is Yuta.

They pull apart slowly, and Ten opens his eyes, Yuta looks dazed, astonishingly gorgeous with those brown eyes and rosy cheeks. He leans back in for another kiss.

With flushed cheeks and held hands, they continue their tour, climbing up a ceramic staircase that leads them to an open space, a metallic bench to a side, an orange wooden bridge to the other side. As they cross the floating bridge, a wooden sign that reads ‘Treetanic Bar’ welcomes them. So this is a bar, which looks actually like a boat that is hung on a branch like a treehouse.

Some vodka shots after, everything seems funnier, they laugh at anything and everything, not necessarily drunk but with lowered inhibitions and forgotten a few rounds back.

"I thought you wouldn't kiss me back," Yuta confesses.

"Why not? I don't think I've been exactly discreet about how I feel about you."

"I didn't want to get my hopes up," Yuta answers.

"Yuta, you know I've liked you since we were trainees. We have both like each other since then," Ten blurts out. "Or, was it just me?"

"I can promise you it wasn't just you," Yuta says quickly. "We were so dumb back then," a bitter laugh.

"Cut us some slack, we were worried about our future," Ten breathes.

"We got placed in different projects at the end," Yuta says plainly.

"We might have drifted apart, but the feelings never vanished."

"I'm so happy we started talking again, it feels like everything is returning back to its place," Ten smiles.

"Come here," Yuta says. Ten sits on Yuta's lap and embraces him, hiding his face on the crook of Yuta's neck. Yuta taps his shoulder, he looks up and receives a peck on the lips.

"Let's go for dinner, I'm getting hungry" Ten says.

Yuta laughs wholeheartedly. "Let's go, you big baby."

They meet with the rest of the group in front of the restaurant they found two days ago, the one with the big pool. It seems like dinner here would be lovely, with the pool by the side and some shots. It's a group vacation after all, no matter how much Ten wants to ditch the rest of the guys and have Yuta by himself.

Johnny lets out a whistle. "So you finally decided to stop being a coward."

What does Johnny even mean? Then realization hits. _Ahhh, he's still holding Yuta's hand_ , has been since they left the bar. Well no need to hide from his friends, he can hear the rest of the guys already teasing Yuta. He looks at Kun and Sicheng, they're smiling at him, he truly loves his family.

"Stop y'all," Ten intercepts.

"Right, I'm getting hungry," Taeil says and starts walking towards the restaurant.

It's an outdoor space, round wooden tables and dim lights. Big artisanal ovens and neon lights decorating the bar. A waitress helps them settle on their table, and gives them the menu. They end up ordering a Honduran style barbecue and beer as a suggestion from the same waitress, who recommend it as the best dish to have when you plan to use the pool.

The food proves to be delicious, just like everything Ten has tasted on this island. The barbeque has beef and pork, when he takes the first bite, it’s juicy and soft; they also get homemade tortillas and fried beans, with ‘chismol’ that he learned is just diced tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers. After their glorious meal, Yuta grabs his hand and their beers and they head to the pool area to settle on a beach chair. The rest join them shortly after, Jaehyun and Doyoung taking a beach chair near them while the rest jump to the pool.

Laughter, some yelling and water splashing is all Ten can hear, and that's probably a picture he wants to remember the most of this trip. He smiles as he cuddles to Yuta's side, all of the alcohol he consumed finally taking a toll on him.

Ten is sure he fell asleep, because when he looks up, Yuta is still there but is now eating a chicken wing. When did he get it? He sits down awkwardly and sees a chicken wings' bucket placed in a tray on the floor while the guys are sitting down eating them quietly. He looks to the side, the lovely couple eating too.

"Hey, I want wings too!" He chirps.

Yuta laughs. "Sure, sure."

After stuffing his stomach with chicken wings with buffalo sauce and swimming a few rounds in the pool with Yuta, they finally head back to the round house.

Today is their last day on the island. The sun is up and shining brightly, its golden rays peeking into their room shamelessly, not leaving a single spot untouched. It's warm and feels good, it doesn't sting or disturbs, it’s a nice way to wake up. Ten flutters his eyes open and they slowly adjust to the light. Yuta's face only centimeters away from him, he looks tranquil, fluffy eyelashes and pouty lips. He uses his finger to trace his features, his skin got a healthy glow from the sun and it's so smooth and pretty.

"Do I have something in my face?" Yuta murmurs, voice still filled with slumber.

"No, I was just admiring your beauty," Ten laughs.

Without opening his eyes, Yuta hums and pulls Ten closer. He breathes out contentedly.

"Get up lovebirds, we leave in 20," Ten can hear Johnny saying from the door.

"Got it, captain," Yuta replies.

Kayaking down the canal near the mangroves is their last scheduled activity. For a more fun experience, they let Steve choose the kayak partners for the trip. Ten ends up paired with Johnny, it's the first time they get time alone throughout the trip. While they're rowing their way through the canal, they see some iguanas, colorful birds and other animals.

"I can't believe it took you a trip to the Caribbean Sea for you to get your shit together," Johnny says with disappointment.

"Don't lecture me, John. I don't wanna hear it," Ten threatens him.

Johnny lets out a chuckle. "I'm happy for you man, I really am."

Ten groans, but his heart gets big. He really appreciates what Johnny’s saying, the best friend he could ever ask for.

"Thank you," he says in a small voice.

"Now you're getting shy?"

"Shut up and work faster, we are getting behind,” Ten scolds him.

It's time for lunch when they get back to the town. The chosen restaurant for today is a place right in front of the public beach, the walls are made with bamboo and ceiling with palm tree leaves. The 2nd floor offers tables with a good view to the ocean. The menu has only local food dishes only and Ten thinks that's the best way to end up their trip here, having a good meal made with love.

He's going to miss this view very dearly, he made a lot good memories on this island. It's true when people say that once you visit Utila you never wanna leave. The island proves to be magical, gave his friends and him time where they could breathe properly and have fun, and the courage to finally accept he deserves to be loved and that he wants to reciprocate the love he receives. Ten looks at Yuta, who is still busy finishing his meal, and smiles. Yuta is someone who waited for him all of these years, someone who was always looking out for him, even when they didn't talk much.

The public beach has its own charm as well, the water looks clearer here, painted with a turquoise blue, surreal. Ten watches the boys from a bench, they seem to be having fun playing tag, swimming around and splashing water here and there.

"TEN!" Yuta yells.

"Get your ass here, Li Yongqin!" Kun follows.

"On my way!"

That same afternoon, Yuta and Ten ditch the rest of the group and go back to Bando's beach. This time they pick a table for two near the bar, but order the same strawberry margarita. The bartender seems to remember them, gifting them a double shot of tequila with their drinks.

Another band is playing this time around, their sound upbeat, the drums are louder, faster, accompanied by more instruments Ten’s doesn’t recognize and the singers interact with the crowd, this music is made specifically for you to dance to. He looks around and there's actually people dancing to the rhythm from the place they are. It doesn't really matter from what he sees, everyone is just having a good time. He stands up and urges Yuta to do the same. Yuta follows him without saying a word, an answering smile. He starts copying the dance steps from other people and a few minutes later they're both dancing mindlessly, just going with the flow.

They walk to the deck, meanwhile the sun bids its goodbye. The sky is blue streaked with a mixture of pink and orange; pink sunsets are Ten's favorites. His eyes go back to Yuta, but he is already looking at him. A sweet kiss is shared between them, with only the sun and the ocean as witnesses.

"I'm glad our first kiss was on this island."

"Romantic much?" Ten teases.

Yuta laughs, "it seems like this island makes your wishes come true."

"I can totally agree with that," Ten follows.

"Wanna jump from the deck?" A mischievous smile.

"Only if you catch me when I fall."

The pearl from the Caribbean, Utila, is an island that Robinson Crusoe described on his story as a piece of paradise, a place where dreams come true. Breathtaking views, warm hearted people, turquoise ocean and abundant coral reefs. The color of the ocean is the deepest tone of blue, they say love is red; but for Ten, love is deep blue like the ocean.

**Author's Note:**

> let's be friends on [twitter](https://twitter.com/HSunHyuk)


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